Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders
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Mission Statement
SMYAL (Supporting and Mentoring Youth Advocates and Leaders) supports and empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region, and beyond. Through youth leadership, SMYAL creates opportunities for LGBTQ youth to build self-confidence, develop critical life skills, and engage their peers and community through service and advocacy. Committed to social change, SMYAL builds, sustains and advocates for programs, policies and services that LGBTQ youth need as they grow into adulthood. In addition to working in schools and communities across the DMV, SMYAL has a comprehensive housing program for homeless LGBTQ youth that provides safe and stable shelter, food, case management services, crisis intervention and community support for its residents and a clinical services program providing affirming mental health care services.
About This Cause
SMYAL utilizes proven "youth development" strategies in its after-school programs. As has been the case from the start, SMYAL continues to advocate for policies that help LGBTQ youth with regard to safe schools, foster care, health services, and other important areas. As a youth service agency serving the metropolitan area of Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland, SMYAL has become a well-respected community-based organization providing direct services to youth, training and education to youth service providers, and important information relating to sexuality and gender identity issues to the community at large. From peer-to-peer programs to HIV prevention, from education to after-school programs and from housing for 60 youth to counseling services, SMYAL assists LGBTQ youth in becoming productive citizens and provides them with the necessary tools to become leaders.